Latch mechanism



R. cfioPGooD Aug. 25, 1953 LATCH MECHANISM Fild April 22, 1949 42 Shee'ts-Sheet l INVENTOR ROVC HOPGOD 7 f ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1953 R. c. HoPGooD LATCH MEcHANzsM 2 sheets-sheet:

Filed April 22, 1949 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

INVENTOR ROY C. H0 BY ATTORN EYS Patented Aug. 25, 1953 t UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE LATCH MECHANISM Roy C. Hopgood, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor to The American Hardware Corporation, New

Britain,`Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 88,994 Claims. (ci. 292-169) My invention relates to latchingl mechanisms and in particular to an improved push-button control therefor.

` It is an Vobjecttc provide an improved device of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide an improved wish-button latch-setting and throw-01T mech- In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a, preferred `form of the invention: t f t a longitudinal horizontal sectional View fg. lis of a latching mechanism incorporating features of theinvention and shown in application to a Because the buttons assume different relative positions for `dilerent conditions of lock setting,

led March 17, 1949. In certain'applic'atonskev operation mayl be desired, b

No;` 74,963, led February 7, 1949.`

As disclosedin thesaid Welch application Serial No. 81,964, `push-button means |9-20 carried by ,the inside knob l2 may determine the ut for such cases a 22 engaging a longitudinal slot 23 in the throughspindle 2|, as by means of lugs 24--25 on the blade 22.

When the latch has operation from the outside, as by I I) as in the case for the relation of parts in Fig. 4', tlleblade lug axially limited been set (i. e. disabled for means of knob shown arcuate slot 26 in a tubular outside-knob spindle 21, which may be keyed, as at 21', to the outside knob II. Thus, for the set condition of the latch the outside knob l II Vwill be effectively disengaged from the blade '22 and,

f mai7 be determineduby the longitudinal displacemritoftheblade 22,

v 4 .(thatis, of thelug v2li) With respect ,tothe diblrlg .slot 276. In the form shown,resilient means, su@ es a G lr1r ress-0rl spring 2.8,..mern9rmellr urge the. blade 22 in an @.lltritrdv or throwing-Ofi direction- The Spring 28 .marbetoniained,within e @upped member 29.136151 injhellhl I be@ including guide means Suilas. neitudin"lslis, .Slideblr t0 fev thebladg 21.1. hebefle?? may be Pemanitly Contested egrrtfeatille214.222 t0 the mier I 9A Vl oi` the lc :oncentric push-button l20. N 'Alhe inner push button 20 may pression 4spring .3I` (located V"bettveena Aguide lug 3291i .the biglie'. Rendim rroietting end 33 ot1 he push button 25) may performthis flinction. v

Eem .Pliilb White., will, later ib'e'cl'ar th inner lbutton'20, may 'carry agene'rally yradially'projecting arm 324, which is shown to haie a boss lor collar Aparth'fitted over the yinner end vigili@ @Haliburton l for the compressionsprin'g 5I.

I9 for engagement with 5 and outward displacement 0 ,be `li'i'ited by Vall! 35; tb facilitate insertion i CS-.tdvlith 'A `f 36 [to the push-button end of the le 2 l that the arm Ve `vvltli`s1ih villsellfjt'in Of'pa's. A torsin the arm 34clock'- lnthesensefofuFig. 2) so 'as 4to align'the ar wlthftheinnerpart of the'slot 35 and'or pbsltivelbcatlbn"bythe abutment at. Voutward displacement oi the outer'button I9 may be limiteu'b'y j'amtmbntol of tbe blade lug zsjwith the end'o theinnerlnob, asat'38` (see Fig. 3),.

,Ina'cordance withfa feature ofthe invention, tletf j push 'buttoiis It-20, 'although relatively d` l eable,are permitted but wa relatively small de'greeofsuch 'relative'rn vement; v on Athe other hand, thefbittons 'I'B-'fZD maybe permitted a rlatlvely'-lrggtbtal" displacement, as in a Shifting ingmmechanism vto'a second controlled condition ion of the mech-I the islet Sslay yarterie axially 'trbm'tli'e 34 will not 4rc'mua first controlled conditionof the/latch- I spring'V 31 and ln f at p'feretably 'effectively `widens or projects radially" outside Y @retraite-bresil' it.

. carried by the r the infposition of the assembly. n

upns'uch engagement and as the thumb 50 ls; being removed, spring VV33 may Aurge, the inner `j 34t0;

' axially clear may be flush for the outln the form shown represents an unset condition of the latch (see Figs. i and 2) for the in-position, the inner button 20 may be slightly outwardly displaced relatively to the outer button I9, representing a set conditionV o the latching mechanism, as in Fig. 4. 'i

1n order to hold the i'n-position against the action of spring 28, I may employ latching means in the form of il tothe blade 22 and engageableY at the latch "end 132 thereof with a latching abutment or slot 43 in the through-spindle 2I. Spring means blade 22 may normally resiliently urge the latch member 40 in a latching direction. In the form shown, the latch member 40 is more be engaged by the latch spring 44. Y

'I 'heV relationship of the Various described elements preferably such that, for the ol't-pc'si tion represented by Figs. l and 2the slfo't 35 holds the arm 3 4 against the action of the torsion slight angular tion ,with an axially overlapping 45 loi"thel'atchiifig member )40 longitudinally in ardly oi enters 'into purpose which will an openingA 45 abutment-,wall

, y whicblfr' a later be clear) may 'include an y pprtion' and acain-wall'pfortion 48.' n understood that the e'it "o 'the op'ning' In thel through-spindle 4I may be to perm torsion spring 31 to. urge arm 3'4 in a "direction to take up the "above-mentioned angular clearbuttons "are: Y clears o`r enters upon the :cam 'wall 48.

above, 'with Yboth buttons position `as in member will 10er-,4.` 4To set the `lobby-a thumb or finger 'ofmayfbe 'pressed simulta eously against both vbuttonsY ntire ine len-20, "tbjtlliust :the `e 'hanlsln battled bythe 'bladefzz; n Upon '.sufficient depression,

the'relation shown in Fig. 3, wherein ebulz bf'itlie'latcll member oi' finger --pressure (see Fig.` 4)

berli will engage twardly so as to causer arm the Arend "450i Whe'narm 3`4is thusfclared, the'torsionfsprilig clearance rela'-V part of the e'nd' this position 'the 'sloti 1t will be v lt the ance with tlleenu aber 'tllelatch'member `tts the being pushed andk alsv the arm '3H this unset condition, the latc'hiiigl latch member '40 ,will be'urgedA by springM so' asto ride 'the inner' siiria'e Y y be in slight'axial overlapping relation withafp'a'rt' oi the'end '45 of the latchemernthe' latch 'abutment 'tato liqlu mnedialiely l the latch=member40.

'rotate until I'stopped "by the; abutment wall 4.1,V-jat which -tlnief'thearmfaa i lpieierablyljgverstahds" the-A "nd 45?o`fthe latolifl'; 1V

theoutside knob `H `is rendered;inoperativetto;

actuate the latch I5.

esired, abutment means may be provided If d for limiting the outward movement of the inner be said to have reset itself, as will be clear.

, In order to release or throw oil the mechanism, the thumb 50 may again be applied to the push buttons; but, because the button projects slightly outwardly, the button 20 will llrstbeen-` gaged. `Upon such engagement, the relatively' yweak compression spring 3| may give in order to a latch-releasing direction. As soon as the latch?- ing end 42 clears the latch slot 43, the spring `28 will drive the blade assembly outwardly against I claim: 1. In a latching device of the character indicated, latch mechanism and knob means there- 'means and longitudinally slidable therein, one

`of said buttons including control means for determining the locked and unlocked condition of said mechanism in accordance with longitudinal placement of said one button, the other of said buttons serving to unlock the means on said rst nism in the path of longitudinal movement of said buttons and xed against longitudinal movement for holding said buttons Hush in an 'outwardly projecting position, said control means last-dened throw-off means being effective upon a movement of said other button from its depressed to its extended position.

4. A device according to claim. 3, in which said throw-off means for said second latch means cludes a radially projecting cam-follower portion, said cam being inclined to withdraw sai second latch from possible engagement with said first latch during an outwardly projecting stroke of said buttons'.

8. A- latchrig device according to claim 6, in which said spindleincludes a longitudinally extending cam surface, and in which said arm includes a radially projecting cam-follower portion,

latch means, 'resilient means urging said second latch means for longitudinal alignment with said 5 part of said rst latch means after an outward Vdisplacement of said other button with respect to said one button, first retaining means cooperating between said buttons for retaining and thus limiting the outward projection o vsaid said cam being inclined to permit said second 10 other button relatively to said one button to an` extent less than the extent of.l said flrstlongie tudinal depressing throw, and second retaining means cooperating with each lof saidbuttons and including a longitudinally fixed part of said latch to be spring urged into latching engagement with said first latch when said other buttonis retained in its depressed position.

9. In a latching device of the character indicated, two concentric push'buttons longitudi- 15 mechanism for limiting the outward projectionV nally and in the in-direction and in the out-diof both buttons when in the inwardly projecting rection slidable relatively to each other, mechaposition. f nism controlled by said buttons, spring means i urging both said buttons outwardly relatively to said mechanism',v first latch means for one 2O. References Cited in the file of this patent button, second latch means for the other button, UNITED STATES PATENTS ROY c. Hoicoon. 1

abutment means in the path of longitudinal Number Name Date movement of said rst latch means and fixed against longitudinal movement and poised to in- DHulen et al Ngvl'ol tercept said first latch means after a first in- 25 2'293856- Smage *j Img '25 1942 ward displacement of both said buttons, said rst latch means 'including/a part to be longitudil' nally inwardly actuated to .disengage said first 

